Singaporean Coffee Pork Ribs

Experience an unexpected and amazing flavor combination with Singaporean coffee pork ribs, featuring tender marinated meat glazed in a rich, sweet, and aromatic coffee sauce.

Ingredients

• 500 g pork ribs
• 1 egg
• 30 ml espresso
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp starch
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp dark soy sauce
• 50 ml water
• as needed cooking oil
• as needed starch water
• to taste fresh green herbs

Instructions

1. 1Season and Marinate the Ribs

   

   Clean the pork ribs and place them in a bowl. Marinate them with salt, sugar, oyster sauce, sesame oil, an egg, and starch. Let the ribs marinate for over 20 minutes to absorb the flavors thoroughly.

   Tip: Marinating with an egg and starch helps lock in moisture, keeping the ribs tender during frying.
2. 2Prepare the Coffee Maker

   

   Add water into the base of the moka pot and prepare the coffee grounds in the filter basket. Coffee is the key flavor component of this dish, so use a coffee variety that suits your preference.

   Tip: Ensure the water level stays just below the safety valve of the moka pot.
3. 3Brew the Espresso

   

   Place the assembled moka pot onto the heating base and turn it on to begin brewing. The extracted coffee will be rich and concentrated, providing the signature flavor profile for the dish.

   Tip: Monitor the heat to prevent burning the coffee grounds during extraction.
4. 4Extract and Measure the Coffee

   

   Pour the freshly brewed espresso from the moka pot into a glass measuring cup. About 30 milliliters of rich espresso is enough for this recipe.

   Tip: Freshly extracted espresso adds a deeper aroma and richer depth to the sauce.
5. 5Mix the Coffee Sauce

   

   Combine the prepared coffee, brown sugar, white sugar, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and water in a glass bowl. Mix them thoroughly to form the sweet and bitter sauce base, adjusting the sugar amount according to your coffees bitterness.

   Tip: Taste the sauce mixture before cooking so you can fine-tune the balance of sweetness and bitterness.
6. 6Fry the Ribs

   

   Heat oil in a wok and fry the marinated pork ribs until they turn golden brown. You can deep-fry them or pan-fry them in a skillet depending on your preference.

   Tip: Fry on medium heat to ensure the ribs cook evenly through to the bone without burning the exterior.
7. 7Sauté the Garlic

   

   Add minced garlic into the wok with oil and sauté on low heat until it becomes aromatic and lightly golden.

   Tip: Keep the heat low so the garlic doesnt burn and turn bitter.
8. 8Pour in the Sauce

   

   Pour the prepared sauce directly into the wok with the sautéed garlic, bring the mixture to a boil, and taste to adjust the sweetness if the coffee bitterness needs balancing.

   Tip: Adjust the sugar level here depending on the bitterness of your chosen coffee.
9. 9Add Fried Ribs

   

   Transfer the previously fried pork ribs into the boiling sauce in the wok, stir-frying them evenly to coat the meat, and braise for about 3 minutes to absorb flavors.

   Tip: Braising for a few minutes helps the rich sauce penetrate deeply into the ribs.
10. 10Thicken and Finish

    

    Pour starch water into the wok to thicken the sauce, tossing everything well until the glaze richly coats the ribs before removing them from the pan.

    Tip: Add the starch water gradually to get a glossy and perfectly clinging sauce consistency.

Storage & Reheating

Burn It Off

Frequently Asked Questions